"You will find a suffocating environment" - Cristiano Ronaldo's personal life could change a lot in Saudi Arabia, says former Al-Nassr manager
Former Al-Nassr manager Galician Raul Caneda has warned Cristiano Ronaldo that he could find a suffocating environment in Saudi Arabia. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner signed for the Asian club on December 30. He was officially unveiled this week amidst a lot of fanfare.
Caneda generally regarded the move as a sign of great progress for Asian football but also warned the 37-year-old to expect a different lifestyle compared to the ones Europeans enjoy in their continent.
Speaking about a European playing in Saudi Arabia, Caneda said:
"In this aspect, I am curious about what the Portuguese is going to find. The country has changed a lot in freedoms, but Europeans have different lifestyles from Saudis, and when I lived, you had to live in housing estates for Westerners."
He also talked about the weather and the social environment.
"Then there is the weather, which almost always forces you to train at night. Al-Nassr has very good training structures. Cristiano is not going to miss that at all. As a public figure, yes, you will find a suffocating environment."
Cristiano Ronaldo has become the club's highest-paid player and is set to earn a handsome €200 million over the next two and a half years.
He mutually terminated his contract with Manchester United in the week leading up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
Cristiano Ronaldo made strong comments against Manchester United before leaving club
Cristiano Ronaldo was linked with an exit from Old Trafford earlier this summer. Despite numerous media reports, the player stayed quiet and rejoined the training camp, albeit later.
He clashed with new manager Erik ten Hag on multiple occasions, with several of those altercations taking place in public. The 37-year-old voiced his frustration and accused the club of lying to him. He also brought forth several infrastructure and other technical issues at the club in his interview with Morgan.
That led to Manchester United terminating his contract by mutual consent, bringing down the curtains on a story that had begun on a very different note 19 years ago.